Clear dentifrice

ABSTRACT

Visually clear dentifrice comprising a water-insoluble aluminosilicate sodium salt complex in which silica is interbonded with alumina, which alumina is present in amount up to 3.3% by weight of the polishing agent in which the mole ratio of silica to alumina is at least about 45:1, said polishing agent having a refractive index of about 1.44-1.47 and a gel vehicle for said polishing agent having about the same refractive index as said polishing agent, said polishing agent being substantially invisible in said gel vehicle.

United States Patent 1 [111 3,906,090

Colodney Sept. 16, 1975 [54] CLEAR DENTIFRICE 3,728,446 4/1973 Roberts et al. 424/49 [75] Inventor: Daniel Colodney, Somerville, NJ.

Primary ExaminerRichard L. Huff [73] Asslgne g f z Company New Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert L. Stone; Herbert S.

or Sylvester; Murray M. Grill [22] Filed: Sept. 10, 1974 [21] App]. No.: 504,798 [57] ABSTRACT Related Apphcanon Data Visually clear dentifrice comprising a water-insoluble [60] D f g :f zg 'x ffg aluminosilicate sodium salt complex in which silica is f g fm z xy 0 pn interbonded with alumina, which alumina is present in amount up to 3.3% by weight of the polishing agent in [52] U S CI 424/52, 424/49 which the mole ratio of silica to alumina is at least 7/16 about 45:1, said polishing agent having a refractive [58] Fie'ld 424/49 58 index of about 1.44-1.47 and a gel vehicle for said polishing agent having about the same refractive index 5 6] Reerences Cited as said polishing agent, said polishing agent being sub- UNITED STATES AT NTS stantially invisible in said gel vehicle.

3,71 1,604 1/1973 Colodncy et al 424/52 8 Claims, N0 Drawings CLEAR DENTIFRICE This application is a division of Ser No. 287,001, filed Sept. 7, 1972 which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 139,240, filed Apr. 30, 1971, now abandoned.

This invention relates to dentifrices. In particular, it relates to dentifrices which are visually clear.

Dentifrices which are visually clear, i.e., transparent, are appealing to consumers. To be effective in cleaning the teeth, a polishing agent or abrasive ingredient such as calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, calcium pyrophosphate and corresponding water insoluble magnesium salts has been included in dentifrices. An effect of such agents in convention formulations is to render the dentifrices opaque. Substantially clear dentifrices can be prepared in which waterinsoluble complex salts of aluminosilicates are employed as polishing agents. Such substantially clear dentifrices have been observed to exhibit a visible haze and/or to vary in degree of cleaning or polishing effect. Typically they are alkaline and exhibit a pH of about 8-1 1.

It is an advantage of this invention that an effective polishing is provided while at the same time permitting the dentifrice to remain virtually transparent or clear.

A further advantage of this invention is that an aluminosilicate complex salt is provided which exhibits desirable cleaning or polishing effectiveness. Other advantages will be apparent from consideration of the following specification.

According to the present invention, there is provided a visually clear dentifrice comprising a dentally acceptable substantially water-insoluble particulate polishing agent in a gel vehicle having substantially the same refractive index as said polishing agent, said polishing agent being a synthetic amorphous complex aluminosilicate salt of sodium in which silica is interbonded with alumina and which contains up to 3.3% by weight of the polishing agent of alumina, and in which the mole ratio of silica to alumina is at least about 45: 1, said polishing agent having a refractive index of about 1.44-1.47, up to about 20%by weight of moisture and up to about 10% by weight of sodium oxide and said polishing agent being substantially invisible in said gel vehicle. 7

The dentifrice may be formulated as a clear gel. The complex aluminosilicate sodium salt described above may effectively promote oral hygiene. It is an amorphous powder which further has the property that when incorporated in a gel or liquid vehicle having a refractive index of about 1.44-1.47, the particles thereof become invisible; Thus, a suitable particle size for the polishing agent is up to about 40 microns, preferably about l-20 microns. The typical moisture content, measured by loss on ignition is about 20% by weight of the agent and the typical content of sodium oxide is up to about generally about 0.32% by weight. Typically, the agent has a loose bulk density of up to about 0.2g/cc, preferably about 0.7-0.12g/cc.

The alumina content of the salt is typically from about 0.1% to 3.3% by weight and the mole ratio of silica to alumina is typically about 45:1 to l500:1 or more. Thus, alumina is typically present in the polishing agent bound to silica in amount of 0. 1-3.3% and silica is similarly present in amounts of at least about 70%, say about 70-90% or more by weight of the polishing agent. The amount of alumina indicated is less than that which has characterized previously employed complex aluminosilicate salts. When the content of alumina exceeds 3.3%, say is 3.32%, the aluminosilicate gel is often cloudy. It is also desirable that the complex aluminosilicate employed in the instant invention exhibit a pH in the range of 4-10, preferably between about 5 and 6. The specific gravity of the complex aluminosilicate typically is about 2-3 g/cm The polishing agent typically comprises about 5-30% by weight of the dentifrice formulation, preferably about 10-30% by weight.

The complex aluminosilicate salt appears to contain interbonded silica and alumina having AlO-Si bonds as described by Tamele, Chemistry of the Surface and the Activity of Alumina-Silica Cracking Catalyst, Discussions of the Faraday Society, No. 8, Pages 270-279 1950) and particularly the sentence bridging Pages 284 and 285. These complexes clearly differ from silica gel as is described by Plank et al., Differences Between Silica and SilicaAlumina Gels I. Factors Affecting the Porous Structure of These Gels, Journal of Colloid Science, 2, Pages 399-412 (1947) and Plank, Differences Between Silica and Silica- Alumina Gels II; A Proposed Mechanism For The Gelation and Syneresis of These Gels, Journal of Colloid Science, 2, Pages 413-427 (1947") in which formation of the Al-O-Si bond is described at Pages 419-422.

In addition to the characteristics of the complex aluminosilicate salt indicated above, the salt may be prepared so as to have wide ranges of surface areas, typically about 50-275 m /g (BET nitrogen absorption method); bulk densities of about 0.1-0.4g/cm oil absorptions, typically about l5-200g. of material per g. of oil; and void volumes of aggregated particles of salt, typically about l-5ml/gm. The pore volume or porosity of the ultimate precipitated particles may'also be measured. 0.2 ml/g. is a typical value.

A highly preferred grade of the complex salt is a sodium aluminosilicate having a refractive index of about 1.45-1.46 containing about 1.01% by weight of alumina and about 77-78% of silica and water measured by loss on ignition of about 5% by weight at C and about 10.6% at about 1000C and having a pH in a 4% slurry of about 7.5, a surface area of about 230-260 m /g, a bulk density of about 0.25-0.40g/cm an oil absorption of about 100-130/100 and a void volume of about 1.5-2.5 ml/gm. The complex salt possessing these characteristics, in addition to providing excellent clarity to a dentifrice gel vehicle of corresponding refractive index also provides desirable cleaning properties to the dentifrice. In this type of complex salt, the precipitated particles of the salt are quite loosely distributed in a random amorphous low structure manner. Generally, when the indicated characteristics such as oil absorption are greater, such as about -190/100, the random amorphous distribution of particles is more compact in a higher structure manner.

The gel or liquid vehicle of the dentifrice perferably forms a mass of a consistency which desirably can be extruded from a collapsible tube such as an aluminum tube or a lead tube. The vehicle contains liquid and solid. In general, the liquid portion comprises water, glycerine, sorbitol and the like, including suitable mixtures thereof. It is usually advantageous to use a mixture of both water and a humectant such as glycerine, sorbitol or the like. The total liquid content is generally about 2094.5% by weight of the visually clear dentifrice, and typically includes about 0-30% by weight of water, to about 80% by weight of glycerine, and about 20-80% by weight of sorbitol. Preferably about 01 by weight of water, about 15-35% by weight of glycerine and about 30-50% by weight of sorbitol are present in the dentifrice.

1n the liquid portion of the vehicle, sorbitol is suitably employed as a 70% by weight aqueous solution which has a refractive index of 1.45. Glycerine alone or admixed with the sorbitol solution does not substantially alter this desirable refractive index from that of the polishing agent, since glycerine has a refractive index of 1.47. Thus, an aqueous mixture of sorbitol and a substantial amount of glycerine is eminently satisfactory to form a gel vehicle of refractive index about the same as that of the aluminosilicate complex salt which vehicle remains clear upon incorporation therein of the salt.

The solid portion of the vehicle is a gelling agent, such as the natural and synthetic gums and gum-like materials, such as lrish moss, gum tragacanth, alkali metal carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl carboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, starch, water-soluble hydrophilic colloidal carboxyvinyl polymers, such as those sold under the trademark Carbopol 934 and 940 and synthetic inorganic silicated clays such as those sold under the trademark Laponite CP and Laponite SP. These grades of Laponite have the formula The solid portion of the vehicle is typically present in an amount up to about by weight of the dentifrice and preferably about 0.5 5% by weight. When employed, grades of Laponite are preferably used in amounts of about l5% by weight.

Organic surface-active agents may be used in the compositions of the present invention to achieve increased prophylatic action, assist in achieving thorough and complete dispersion of the instant compositions throughout the oral cavity, and render the instant compositions more cosmetically acceptable. The organic surface-active material may be anionic, nonionic, ampholytic or cationic in nature, and it is preferred to employ as the surface-active agent a detersive material which imparts to the composition detersive and foaming properties. Suitable types of such detergents are water-soluble salts of higher fatty acid monoglyceride monosulfates, such as the sodium salt of the monosulfated monoglyceride of hydrogenated coconut oil fatty acids, higher alkyl sulfates, such as sodium lauryl sulfate, alkyl aryl sulfonates, such as sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, olefin sulfonates, such as sodium olefin sulfonate in which the olefin group contains 12-21 carbon atoms, higher alkyl sulfoacetates, higher fatty acid ester of 1,2-dihydroxy propane sulfonates, and the substantially saturated higher aliphatic acyl amides of lower aliphatic amino carboxylic acid compounds, such as those having 12-16 carbons in the fatty acid, alkyl or acyl radicals, and the like. Examples of the last mentioned amides are N-lauroyl sarcosine, and the sodium, potassium, and ethanolamine salts of N-lauroyl, N- myristoyl or N-palmitoyl sarcosine, which should be substantially free from soap or similar higher fatty acid material which tends to substantially reduce the effect of these compounds of the present invention which are particularly advantageous since these materials exhibit a prolonged and marked effect in the inhibition of acid formulation in the oral cavity due to carbohydrates breakdown in addition of exerting some reduction in the solubility of tooth enamel in acid solutions. Another desirable material is a long chain fatty acid sodium monoglyceride sulfonate used alone or in combination with sodium lauryl sulfate.

Other particularly suitable surface-active materials include nonionic agents such as condensates of sorbitan monostearate with approximately moles of ethylene oxide, condensates of ethylene oxide with propylene oxide condensates of propylene glycol (Pluronics") and amphoteric agents such as quaternized imidazole derivatives, which are available under the trademark Miranol such as Miranol C M. Cationic surface-active germicides and antibacterial compounds such as diisobutylphenoxyethoxyethyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, benzyl dimethyl stearyl ammonium chloride, tertiary amines having one fatty alkyl group (of from 12-18 carbon atoms) and two (poly) oxyethylene groups attached to the nitrogen (typically containing a total of from about 2 to 50 ethanoxy groups per molecule) and salts thereof with acids, and compounds of the structure where R is a fatty alkyl group containing from about 12 to 18 carbon atoms, and x, y and 1 total 3 or higher, as well as salts thereof with mineral or organic acids, may also be used. It is preferred to use from about 0.05 to 5% by weight of the foregoing surface-active materials in the instant oral preparations.

Any suitable flavoring or sweetening materials may be employed in formulating a flavor for the compositions of the present invention. Examples of suitable flavoring constitutents include the flavoring oils, e.g., oils of Spearmint, peppermint, Wintergreen, Sassafras, clove, sage, eucalyptus, marjoram, cinnamon, lemon and orange, as well as methylsalicylate. Suitable sweetening agents include sucrose, lactose, maltose, sorbitol, sodium cyclamate, perillartine and saccharine. Suitably, flavor and sweetening agents may together comprise from about 0.01 to 5% or more of the compositions of the instant invention. Chloroform may also be used.

The compositions of the present invention may also contain a suitably selected fluorine-containing compound having a beneficial effect on the care and hygiene of the oral cavity, e.g., diminution of enamel solubility in acid and protection of the teeth against decay which do not substantially detract from the clarity of the dentifrice. Examples of known fluorine compounds include sodium fluoride, stannous fluoride, potassium fluoride, potassium stannous fluoride (SnF .KF), sodium hexafluorostannate, stannous chlorofluoride, sodium fluorozirconate and sodium monofluorophosphate. These materials, which dissociate or release fluorine-containing ions, suitably may be present in an effective but non-toxic amount, usually within the range of about 0.01 to 1% by weight of the watersoluble fluorine content thereof. Sodium fluoride and sodium monofluorophosphate are particularly preferred for inclusion in clear gel dentifrices, as well as mixtures thereof. The level of retention of fluoridecontaining ion with sodium monofluorophosphate is particularly high.

Various other materials may be incorporated in the oral preparations of this invention. Examples thereof are colouring or whitening agents or dyestuffs, preservatives, silicones, chlorophyll compounds, ammoniated materials such as urea, diammoniumphosphate and mixtures thereof, and other constituents.

The adjuvants are incorporated in the instant compositions in amounts which do not substantially adversely affect the properties and characteristics desired and are selected and used in proper amounts depending upon the particular type of preparation involved.

Antibacterial agents may also be employed in the oral preparations of the instant invention in an amount of about 0.0l5% by weight. Typical antibacterial agents include 7 N -(4-chlorobenzyl )-N 2,4dichlorobenzyl) biguap-chlorophenyl biguanide;

4-chlorobenzhydryl biguanide; I

4-chlorobenzhydrylguanylurea;

N-3-lauroxypropyl-N p-chlorobenzylbiguanide;

l ,6-di-ch1orophenylbiguanidohexane;

l,6-bis( 2-ethylhexylbiguanido )hexane';

l-( lauryldimethylamrnonium 8-( p-chlor 'obenzyldimethylammonium) octane dichloride; 5,6-dichloro-2 guanidinobenzimidazole;

N -p'chlorophenyl-N -Iaurylbiguanide;

S-aminol ,3-bis( Z-ethylhexyl )-5-methylhexahydro pyrimidine i and their non-toxic acid addition salts.

Synthetic finely divided silicas such as those sold under the trademarks Cab-O-Sil M 5, Syloid 244, Syloid 266 and Aerosil D200 and mixtures thereof may also be employed in amounts of about 05-20% by weight to promote thickening or gelling of the dentifrice.

In the manufacture of dentifrices, it is conventional to remove entrained air from the product by deaeration under vacuum typically at a late stage in the manufacture. in an aspect of the instant invention, it has been observed that in clear dentifrice gels of suitable viscosity, the dispersed, immobile air bubbles desirably enhance the appearance of the dentifrice, and can therefore, be permitted to remain. Furthermore, air can be at least partially removed and reintroduced in small substantially globular or spheroidal bubbles of say about 0. l8mm in size, well distributed in the gel at an average of at least about one per cubic centimeter. Such air bubbles may be placed in the gel by stirring it while introducing the air. Instead of air, bubbles of another gas, such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide, can be introduced in non-toxic quantity.

In particular, carbon dioxide can provide an effervescent character to the dentifrice.

In the event it is desired to have a minimum amount of air in the dentifrice, or only to have to remove a min imum amount of air from the dentifrice of the instant invention, the Unimix apparatus described in Process Engineering," September ll, 1970, Pages 81-85, is particularly efficacious for this purpose. In this apparatus a mixing tool can be rotated in clockwise or counter-clockwise manner, and the action of the mixing tool is followed by the action of a scraper clean. Preferably, a plastic such as polytetrafluorethane is used as the scraper since it is compatible with the various ingredients of the dentifrice'The positioning of the mixing tool and the scraper from a raised central column in the apparatus and the further presence of a hydraulically operated vacuum tight lid permits but little air to enter the formulation during processing. Thus, gelling agent and a portion of liquid are blended, then the remaining liquid can be separately blended with the polishing agent and additional components (except for postadded components, such as flavoring oil) in the Unimix, and then the two dispersions blended together in the Unimix apparatus. If desired, the small amount of air can be largely removed under the depressurized conditions in the apparatus. The apparatus can be used to blend ingredients at room temperature, as well as at higher temperatures.

Furthermore, if desired, visible particles of dyes, pearlescent flakes or particles of insoluble salts of antibacterial agents such as the disarcosinate salt of 1,6-dip-chlorophenylbiguanidohexane, as well as other particles, can be distributed in the dentifrice.

The dentifrice should have a pH practicable for use Amoderately acid, neutral or moderately alkaline pH is preferred. i

The following specific examples are further illustrative of the nature of the present invention, although it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto. All amounts are by weight unless otherwise indicated.

EXAMPLE 1 The following dentifrices are prepared and entrained air is removed under vacuum:

, Component Parts Sorbitol solution) 45.4 Glycerinc 25 Sodium carboxymethylcellulose 0.7 Syloid 244 5 Sodium aluminosilicute (as indicated) 16 Sodium luyryl sulfate 2 Sodium bcnzoate Sodium saccharine 0.2 Color 0.2 Flavor and chloroform 2.0 Water 3 The following grades of sodium aluminosilicate were employed:

Sodium Aluminosilicate Grade Dentifrices prepared with the sodium aluminosilicate complex grades D and E are visually clear and transparent gels and exhibit good polishing effect on dental enamel. Dentifrice prepared with complex Grades A and B exhibit a haze which render the gels more translucent. This haze is also noted in some gels prepared with Grade C. Cleaning and polishing of dental enamel with the dentifrices containing Grades D and E is more effective than with Grade C. j

Sodium monofluorophosphate is also satisfactorily incorporated in Dentifrices D and E in amount of 0.76 parts. n

EXAMPLE 2 A dentifrice containing 44.4 parts of 70%sorbitol, 6 parts of Syloid 244, 16 parts of sodium aluminosilicate and other components and amounts as indicated in Example is prepared in which the sodium aluminosilicate contains 77.24-78% silica and 1.01% alumina (a mol ratio of silica to alumina of more than 130: 1) and in which water is lost on ignition at 125C and in which 10.6% water is lost on ignition at about 1000C. The pi-Lof a 4% aqueous slurry of the sodium aluminosilicate is 7.5, its surface area is about 250260,m /g and its average pore volume is 0.185 ml/g.

The dentifrice is visually very clear and transparent. The polishing agent provides a highly satisfactory degree of dentin abrasion. v I

The aluminosilicateemployed has a low structure aluminosilicate. Its oil. absorption capability is about 100l30g of the saltper 100g of oil is employed.

Other alkali metal aluminosilicate non-toxic polishing agents which may be employed include the lithium, potassium and ammoniumsalts.

it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various modifications of the above examples may be made thereto. i

1 claim 1. A visually clear dentifrice comprising about 5-30% by weight of a dentally acceptable substantially water-insoluble particulate polishing agent in a gel vehicle having substantially the same'refractive index as said polishing agent, said polishing agent being a synthetic amorphous complex aluminosilicate salt of sodium in which silica is interbonded with alumina and which contains up to 3.3% by weight of the polishing agent of alumina, and in which the mol ratio of silica to alumina is at least about 45:1, said polishing agent having a refractive index of about 1.44-1.47, up to about 20% by weight of moisture and up to about 10% by weight sodium oxide and said polishing agent being substantially invisible in said gel vehicle.

2. The visually clear dentifrice claimed in claim 1 wherein said dentifrice includes about 05-20% by weight of a synthetic finely divided silica thickening agent. 7

"3. The visually clear dentifrice claimed in claim 1 wherein said dentifrice contains sodium monofluorophosphate.

4. The visually clear dentifrice claimed in claim 1 wherein said dentifrice contains about 25-80% by weight of glycerine and about 30-50% by weight of sorbitol as the liquid portion of said gel vehicle and about 1-5% by weight of a gelling agent as the solid portion of said gel vehicle.

5. The visually clear dentifrice claimed in claim 4 wherein said gelling agent is sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. I i i 6. The visually clear dentifrice claimed in claim 1 wherein said polishing agent is present in amount of about 10-30% by weight.

7. The visually clear dentifrice claimed in claim 6 wherein the alumina content of said polishing agent is from about 0.1% to 3.3% by weight and the silica content is at least about by weight.

8. The visually clear dentifrice claimed in claim 7 wherein said sodium aluminosilicate contains loosely and randomly distributed amorphous precipitated particles.

QE TIFICATE 0F PATENT NO. 3, 906,090

DATED September 16, 1975 |NVENTOR(S) 1 Daniel Colodney are hereby corrected as shown below: 1

QSEALE Arrest:

RUTH c. mson Arresting Officer UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK QFFICE it is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent Column 2, lines 31 32, cancel "go of material per 100 go of oil; and insert --cc., oil per 100 grams of materialg Q ARSfiALt, DANE! (ommissimrev ufPwems and Trademarks UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,9 9 Dated September 16, 1975 l Daniel Colodney It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

. At Column 2, line 16, after "particularly" insert --at Page 273, Figure 1, Curve 3 wherein the interaction between silica and aluminum ions is potentiometrically detected. Further literature describing this type of complex includes Milliken et al, The Chemical Characteristics and Structure of Cracking Catalysts", Discussions of the Faraday Society, No. 8,

Pages 279-290 (1950) and particularly--.

V Signed and Scaled this sixth D 0f January 1976 [SEAL] AtteSI.

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner uj'Palents and Trademarks 

1. A VISUALLY CLEAR DENTIFRICE COMPRISING ABOUT 5-30% BY WEIGHT OF A DENTIALLY ACCEPTABLE SUBSTANTIALLY WATER-INSOLUBLE PARTICULATE POLISHING AGENT IN A GEL VEHICLE HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME REFRACTIVE INDEX AS SAID POLISHING AGENT, SAID POLISHING AGENT BEING A SYNTHETIC AMORPHOUS COMPLEX ALUMINOSILICATE SALT OF SODIUM IN WHICH SILICA IS INTERBONDED WITH ALUMINA AND WHICH CONTAINS UP TO 3.3% BY WEIGHT OF THE POLISHING AGENT OF ALUMINA, AND IN WHICH THE MOL RATIO OF SILICA TO ALUMINA IS AT LEAST ABOUT 45.1, SAID POLISHING AGENT HAVING A REFRACTIVE INDEX OF ABOUT 1.44-1.47, UP TO ABOUT 20% BY WEIGHT OF MOISTURE AND UP TO ABOUT 10% BY WEIGHT SODIUM OXIDE AND SAID POLISHING AGENT BEING SUBSTANTIALLY INVISIBLE IN SAID GEL VEHICLE.
 2. The visually clear dentifrice claimed in claim 1 wherein said dentifrice includes about 0.5-20% by weight of a synthetic finely divided silica thickening agent.
 3. The visually clear dentifrice claimed in claim 1 wherein said dentifrice contains sodium monofluorophosphate.
 4. The visually clear dentifrice claimed in claim 1 wherein said dentifrice contains about 25-80% by weight of glycerine and about 30-50% by weight of sorbitol as the liquid portion of said gel vehicle and about 1-5% by weight of a gelling agent as the solid portion of said gel vehicle.
 5. The visually clear dentifrice claimed in claim 4 wherein said gelling agent is sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.
 6. The visually clear dentifrice claimed in claim 1 wherein said polishing agent is present in amount of about 10-30% by weight.
 7. The visually clear dentifrice claimed in claim 6 wherein the alumina content of said polishing agent is from about 0.1% to 3.3% by weight and the silica content is at least about 70% by weight.
 8. The visually clear dentifrice claimed in claim 7 wherein said sodium aluminosilicate contains loosely and randomly distributed amorphous precipitated particles. 